Trailer construction



April 8, 1941. w, POINTER 2,238,001

TRAILER CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 15, 1938 I5 Sheets-Sheet} April 1941' v R. w. POINTER 2.238.001

TRAILER CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 15, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l T I A o O 9 I Z! Z- 1 4e 6 /l/E/\/ "FUR R.w. Pom'rexa April 8, 1941. R. w. POINTER V 2.238.001

I I TRAILER conswnuc'rrou Filed Aug. 15, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 the brake torque directly to ,trailer construction with a Patented Apr. 8, 1941 2,238,091 manna cons'rnuo'rloiv Robert W. Pointer,

one-half to Willamette Iron & Steel Portland, 0reg., assignor of orporation, Portland, 0reg., a corporation of Oregon Application August 15,1938, Serial 1%.224312 2 Claims. This invention relates genera ly to land travelling vehicles, and particularly to a trailer construction.

The main object of this invention is to provide a trailer constructionthat will eliminate all torsional stresses in the axle beams due to the inequalities of the road surface and at the: same struction in which one rotate on the axle and is secured to the axle while both spiders transmit thus relieving the axle beam not brake torque but also of the inequalities.

The third object is to provide an improved form of trailer construction in which an axle can be easily removed without dismantling the trailer.

I accomplish these and other'obiects in the manner set forth in the following specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l'is a fragmentary side elevation of my portion of one axle cut off vand a wheel removed to show the parts only of the, torsion due to road behind same.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic end elevation showing a position assumed by an axle when passing over an uneven roadway.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 2-4 in Fla. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective casting.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation similar to that shown in Fig. 1 except showing a wheel on one side passing over an wheel on the same side dropping into a depression.

Fig. 6 is a section taken along the line 3-4 in view of the brake spider Fig. 3.

Fig. l is a fragmentary plan showing an alternative iorm of the device with the trunnion housing shown in section.

Fig. 8 is a section taken along the line 8-4 in Fig. '1.

m. 9 is a section taken along the line 9-4 in g. 8. Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown a truck frame II, on. the underside of which is secured a pair of standards ll across which is secured a center tube H on the ends of II. The tube l2 the other brake spider" the adjacent spring obstruction and a means of welds'2'l to vided with .slots which are disposed the spring chairs Hi, to the upper and lower sides of which are secured the upper spring ll and the lower spring l5 by means of the clamps l6 and bolts IT.- are free to rock independently on itself is secured to the standard H. The construction common use.

the bolts 2i. Mounted in the brake spider castings. 22--T and 22-4., which are provided with a cylindrical transversely extending trunnions 24 which jourhid in the bearings 25 of the housings i8. Each housing I! is provided with a removable gate iL-A by means of the bolts l8-A forms a bearing for a trunnion 24. It can be seen by this construction that it is easily possible to remove the shaft 28 laterally without dismantling the entire unit.

Extending through the opening 23 are the wheel axles 26. One spider 22--T is secured by the axle 26 while the other spider 22-L is free to rotate on the axle 28 between the collars 28 and 29. On each brake spider casting 22--T and 22--L are formed the arms II through whose openings 31 extend thebrake lever shaft 32 on one end of which is secured the brake convenient manner. The wheel hub 24 is mounted on the end 25 ofthe axle 26 and the brake drum 2, which is secured to the hub ll, encloses the brake shoes 21 of which a common form is illustrated therein one pair of shoe ends 32 pivots on the pins 29, while the ends 40 are provided with rollers H for engaging the cam 22 on the brake lever shaft A spring 43 urges the shoes 11 out of the engagement of the drum 36. The ears N which form a part of the brake spider castings 22-T and 22-L support the pins 39. It will be noted that the casting 22-T is proin orderthat it can be securely fastened to the axle 20 by a welding process.

In the operation of this trailer, if, for example, as shown in Fig. 5, one wheel 46 passes over an obstruction 41 while the wheel 0 drQDS into a depression 29, that is if the wheels 48 and M are on difierent elevations, and if the wheels 46 and ll are on the same side of the trailer then the spring chair I! rocks on the tube 12 avoiding a any twisting strains that would otherwise be opening 23 and -H. Each gate lever which is operated in any But, if wheel 46 passes over an obstruction while the opposite wheel ii-A on the same axle is on level ground as shown in Fig. 5, or on a different elevation. the brake spider 22-11 will rotate on the axle 26, so that the axle is relieved from possible torsional stresses. This is the outstanding feature of the invention. The other brake spider 22-I' being secured to the axle 2i, prevents any relative rotation of the axle. This is important as the axle is. cambered and the proper location of the camber must be preserved,

Further, when wheels 48 and 4l--A are in the positions described in the preceding paragraph, then, as shown in Fig. 2, the axle 28 would tilt and the respectiv trunnions 24 would turn in their bearings 25, thereby permitting the mechanism to freely adapt itself to the irregularities of the roadway, without undue stresses in its various component parts.

vIt will be noted that the brake mechanism is supported by the brake spider castings 22-1? and 22-1., the former of which is secured to the axle 26 and the latter of which is free to rock thereon. Therefore, the application ofthe brakes will react upon the springs adjacent to the brakes instead cf acting'jointly upon one or the other of the two sets of springs. features to which this invention is directed.

Referring now to the modified form of the construction shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the axle 26-M is provided with a flange 53 against which the modified form of brake casting 54 is held by a split collar 55 which is provided with a recess 56 which receives the flange 53 and is secured to the flange 51 by means oflthebolts 54. In this form of the device it is desirable to make the recess 56 somewhat longer than the flanges 53 are wide and to take up the clearance by means of a Washer 59 which may be placed on either side of the flange 53 for alignment purposes. In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown the manner of at- This is oneof the,

taching the brake lever 80 to the actuator it which is secured to the bracket 82 on the collar 55. The remaining details shown in Figs. '1 to 9 are substantially the same as in the first illustrated forms of the invention and the description thereof will not be repeated.

It must be understood that the various details of construction may be modified without departing from the spirit of this invention, and the details herein presented are merely for the purpose of illustration, it being intended to cover all such forms and modifications as fall fairly within the appended claims.

I claim:

. 1. In a vehicle, a pair of axles having ground engaging wheels on the outer ends thereof, a brake casting rigidly mounted on each said axle adJacent one wheel thereof, a brake casting rotatably mounted on each said axle adjacent one wheel thereof, brak drums mounted on each said wheel and cooperating with each said brake casting for transmitting braking action to said wheels, and load supporting elements nonrotatably secured longitudinally of the vehicle to said brake castings at each side of said vehicle.

2. A vehicle axle having ground engaging wheels at the outer ends thereof, brake drums mounted on each said wheel, a brake casting mounted on said axle adjacent each said wheel and having brake actuating elements carried thereon cooperating with the brake drum'on said wheel, one said brake casting being freely rotatable relative to said axle, the other said brake casting being rigidly secured to said axle, and a load supporting element mounted at each side of said vehicle and non-rotatively secured longitudinally of the vehicle to said brake casting whereby the brake torque is transmitted to said load supporting elements equally from each said brake casting. I

ROBERT W. POINTER... 

